It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.
Deuteronomy 31:8
I have to let you in on a secret about me. I am terrified of heights. Absolutely terrified. I remember as a child walking across the swinging bridge at Grandfather Mountain with my grandfather of all people. I was frozen and scared. We got halfway across that bridge, and it began to swing and sway back and forth and up and down. I looked down, which was extremely unwise. I turned a pale shade of white, and this incredible fear came over me. I needed my family to encourage me, but they laughed instead. Don’t feel sorry for me. I was a scairdy cat!
I made it to the other side of the bridge only to then think about how I was going to get back across. The wind was blowing through the mountains, and the swinging bridge was no less stressful for me to cross again just to get back where I began. I told the Lord if I made it back that I would never cross that bridge again. Did I tell you I’m terrified of heights?
What is your biggest fear? What freezes you?
God’s presence should encourage us
It was time. God selected the next leader of Israel and the one who would lead them into Canaan, the land promised to them. Moses was 120 years old (Deuteronomy 31:2) and was no longer physically able to lead Israel. He did all God asked him to do, but it was time to pass the mantle of leadership to Joshua. This transition was not without some encouragement from their faithful leader, Moses.
Moses felt a need to encourage Joshua because he knew the job ahead would be difficult. This encouragement came from Moses’ years of faithful service to God.
First, Moses told Joshua that the Lord would go before him and that He would be with him. Moses knew this from personal experience because God did the same with Moses. This reality took the heat off Joshua. In essence, Moses told Joshua that his success was directly dependent on God’s presence with them. Their success did not depend on Joshua’s ability to strategically plan or tenaciously fight but on God’s presence.
God’s presence led Moses in the wilderness for 40 years as they settled from place to place while God provided all their needs.
God’s faithful and non-abandoning presence should encourage us
And God’s presence will not leave Joshua. Leave is a word that means fail. God would not fail them. This, too, is a great promise given to Joshua. God would not fail them because He is faithful to all His promises (Psalm 145:13). This faithfulness was Joshua’s secret weapon. As long as Joshua was close to the Lord, he experienced success wherever he went and with whatever he did.
Moses also told Joshua that God would not forsake (abandon) them. Joshua had a huge task ahead of him with several battles to win, and he could not do that without God’s help. Moses’ encouragement to Joshua was strong. Just knowing that when things got tough, God was still there was an encouragement.
You and I have been in the heat of something we didn’t understand or a difficult time in our relationships. We’ve cried out to the Lord and asked Him to do something…anything to help us. We, like Joshua, must remember that God does not abandon us even when it seems there is no way out.
God’s presence should remove our fear and terror
Dismayed is a word that means frightened or terrified. Regardless of Joshua’s circumstances, Moses told him never to be frightened or terrified. This is another great way to encourage Joshua.
Think about it. The reigns of leadership are about to transfer from Moses, a man God mightily used to a new leader. It was Joshua who needed encouragement. Moses’ sage advice was precisely what Joshua needed. Here’s how I look at this passage in one sentence.
God’s never-abandoning and unfailing presence give us peace and relief from our terrifying fears.
We need to hear these words with all going on in the world today. I don’t know what your fears are, and I don’t know what’s even going on in your family, but I do know that we serve a God who is ever-present and cares for us. He loves us, and He never abandons us. Take comfort in that today. Take comfort in the ever-present God who loves you as you live in these uncertain days.
By the way, I’m still never going on that swinging bridge EVER AGAIN!